Horse-detacher.



J. WORRELL. HORSE DETAGHER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. so, 1908.

Patented Nov 24, 19087 UNITED STATES JOHN WORRELL, OF

LINDEN, TENNESSEE.

HORSE-DETACHIJR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24-, 1908.

Application filed January 30, 1908. Serial No. 113,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN VORRELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Linden, in the county of Perry and State of Tennessee, haveinvented a new and useful Horse- Detacher, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to a horse detacher, and has for its object toprovide a simple device of this character which can be quickly operatedto release the traces from connection with the whiifletree and permit anunruly horse attached to a vehicle equipped with this device to escapefrom the shafts and save the occupants of the vehicle from danger andthe vehicle itself from possible destruction.

The invention has no complicated mechanism to get out of order, isoperated by the simple act of pulling a strap, and enables the draft tobe applied to the whiffletree in substantially the same horizontal planeas on vehicles having the ordinary form of trace fastenings.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawingin which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shafts of a vehicle withmy invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a central cross sectional viewthrough the cross bar of the shafts and the whiffletree and through theimproved horse detacher.

Similar reference numerals are used for the same parts in all thefigures.

The vehicle shafts 1, their connecting cross bar 2 and whiffletree 3pivoted thereto by the usual bolt 4 and rearwardly embracing yoke 5 arelike those parts in common use. Fastened to each end of the whiflletree3 is an eye 6 to which is hinged a metal rod 7 long enough to reach thecenter line of the shafts. Each rod 7 has a right angled bend 8 near itsouter end which terminates in a loop or eye 9 connected to the eye 6 inthe whiflietree end, as shown in Fig. 1. As thus constructed the rods 7can swing in vertical, horizontal and any intermediate planes. The rodsare of equal length and when in normal position their ends arepractically in contact in front of the whiiiietree opposite the pivotbolt 4 thereof.

The numeral 10 indicates a clip made of 1 thin spring metal, such assteel, sharply bent I upon itself about the center of its length to 1bring the two sections in contact for a distance equal to the width ofthe whiiiletree. This folded portion 11 of the strip is placed betweenthe cross bar 2 and the whiiHetree 3 and serves as a wear plate forthese parts. A. hole is made in the portion 11 through which the pivotbolt t passes. That portion 12 of the upper fold of the strip in frontof the whiflietree is bent upwardly at a right said whiffletree with itsextreme end 13 curving over the top of the same. The under portion 15 ofthe fold 11 extends forward a short distance beyond the portion 12 andis bent upwardly and rearwardly to produce a curved seat 16, after whichit is curved outwardly to form in connection with the portion 12 aspreading mouth 17 to receive the ends of the rods 7. The portion 15terminates a short distance above the plane of the top of thewhiflietree and has riveted to its end on the outer side a strap 18 ofleather or other suitable flexible material. The strap 18 is normallyfolded over the end of the portion 15 and down its inner side to theseat 16, forming there a loop 19 in which lie the adjacent ends of therods 6, and thence upwardly against the portion 12 the strap passesrearwardly to the dash of the vehicle where it is secured in aconvenient position within easy reach. The portion 15 is of such shapethat when the strap 18 is in place a narrow throat 17 a is formed belowthe mouth 17 to hold the rods in the loop 19.

The traces 20 are secured to the rods 7 adjacent the right angled bends8 at their outer ends, and as these ends are connected to eyes 6 in theaxis of the whiiiietree, the draft of the horse relative to the pivotbolt & will be the same as when the traces are coupled directly to thewhiftletree. The traces 20 are attached to the rods 7 by passing theends of said rods through the eyes in the traces and pushing the lattertowards the shafts. The strap 18 is then folded and placed in the seat16 almost closing the throat 17 after which the ends of the rods 7 arepushed down into the fold 19 of the strap, the portion 15 yielding tolet the rods pass through the neck 17*. To release the horse, the strap18 is given a pull, this draws the loop from the seat 16 and releasesthe ends of the rods 7 which will be drawn forwardly in the direction ofthe shafts and permit the traces to slip from angle and lies close tothe forward edge of them and release the horse: Placing the pullingforce or draft of the horse at or below the center of the Whiflietreegives better results and prevents the pivot bolt 4 from being bent bythe force applied to the 'I claim w v1. In a horse detacher, awhiffietree; a rod hinged at each end of said ivl'iifiietree in itslongitudinal aiis and having a right angled bend at its hinged end,- theother ends of said rods extending towards each other, combined with aclip formed of a single strip of sprin metal folded upon itself with thefolded end between said WhifHetree and the cross bar of the shafts andsecured by a through bolt,the

two free portions of said strip being turned up in front of theWhiflietree to form a seat for said rods, a contracted throat and aspreading mouth; and a strap attached to the end of the outermostportion of the clip adapted to fold into said mouth, throat and neckaround said rods and extend rearwardly therefrom;

2. In a horse, de'taohe'r a clip therefor formed of a single strip ofspring metal bent upon itself the two portions contacting for about onehalf their length from the fold'to enter between the WhifHetree andcross-bar, the upper portion being then bent Vertically and its endcurved rearwardly, the under portion extending a short distance inadvance and curved upwardly and inwardly to form a seat and a contractedthroat'and then outwardly to form a spreading mouth.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoatfixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN IVORRELL. \Vitnesses A. M. AUSTIN, C. D. LOVELESS.

